"Pride & Prejudice" Soundtrack

Post by **Lance** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:06 pm

Pride & Prejudice
Music from the Motion Picture
Music composed and produced by Dario Marianelli
English Chamber Orchestra
Benjamin Walfisch, conductor
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
Decca B0005620, 41:32, DDD
_____________________

It's not often that I find a soundtrack recording that is quite as beautiful as Pride & Prejudice. I haven't seen the film yet, but the music is enough to make me want to find out where it is playing and get there quickly (or better yet, rent the DVD).

This is a high-priced disc, at around $20/USD retail, especially for only 41+ minutes. The first track, however, timing in at 2:43, and entitled "Dawn," is worth the price of the disc alone. Talk about music making one immediately relax, it's here in this one track. Melody is in abundance throughout the disc, almost as though it were out of the nineteenth century, even when it borrows tunes from earlier times. I am impressed.

With titles such as Dawn, Stars and Butterflies, The Living Sculptures of Pemberly, Meryton Townhall, The Militia Marches In, Georgiana, Arrival at Netherfield, A Postcard to henry Purcell, Liz on Top of the World, Leaving Netherfield, Another Dance, The Scredt Life of Daydreams, Darcy's Letter, Can't Slow Down, Your Hands are Cold, Mrs. Darcy, and Credits ... music depicting these titles has been done great justice by Mr. Dario Marianelli.

Since I don't know the plot of the film, I cannot comment on it at the moment.

However, the absolute surprise here is the playing of Jean-Yves Thibaudet, who needs no introduction to pianophiles. His playing has a warm, glowing and sensuous sound, no doubt due to the exquisite piano used (unnamed), and the recording methodology itself, which captures the music as though it was breathing, something coming from the ether ... so spacious and airy, yet beautifully focused.

Every track is eminently listenable. You will immediately recognize tunes that were "borrowed" in various tracks. If I have one gripe, it's that some of the music is very brief making one want for more of the same, or having it more extended. (This is a compliment to Mr. Marianelli.). Track times range from one minute to almost five minutes.

All this music will have much more mental meaning once the film is viewed.

This is one of the best soundtracks I've encountered in many moons.

ch1525 · Post by **ch1525** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 2:30 pm

Lance, you are so right. This soundtrack is great!!!

I've always felt that a good soundtrack contributes so much to a movie. For instance, I sometimes wonder if Lord of the Rings would have done as well as it did if it wasn't for Howard Shore's superb music.

Anyway, the soundtrack is kind of like a big, melancholy piano concerto from the most romantic composer you can think of.

I hear some of the Adagio from Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 in there every once and a while, especially in Track 2, Stars and Butterflies. Then of course, there is the Purcell melody, the same one Britten used in Young Person's Guide, which Marianelli puts to excellent use.

Thanks for bringing this great soundtrack to our attention Lance!

Post by **Lance** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 6:12 pm

Anybody else hear this yet? Don't miss it!

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:31 am

I'm thinking about going to see the movie, although I have so far managed adroitly to avoid every one of the gazillions of Pride and Prejudices, even the one with a soundtrack composed by one of my favorites, Patrick Doyle.

Should I see it?

Post by **Lance** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 2:15 am

Corlyss_D wrote:I'm thinking about going to see the movie, although I have so far managed adroitly to avoid every one of the gazillions of Pride and Prejudices, even the one with a soundtrack composed by one of my favorites, Patrick Doyle.

Should I see it?

Don't be so adroit about avoiding this one. My recommendation: SEE IT!

Maybe I'll come out to UT and we can see it together along with our friend Keno. Good idea?

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:16 pm

Lance wrote:
Corlyss_D wrote:I'm thinking about going to see the movie, although I have so far managed adroitly to avoid every one of the gazillions of Pride and Prejudices, even the one with a soundtrack composed by one of my favorites, Patrick Doyle.

Should I see it?
Don't be so adroit about avoiding this one. My recommendation: SEE IT! Maybe I'll come out to UT and we can see it together along with our friend Keno. Good idea?

Great idea, but you better hurry . . . it's almost gone from the theaters.

ch1525 · Post by **ch1525** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 2:08 am

I just watched the movie.

The music is so amazing and with it added to the wonderful film it is quite surreal.

I wish there was some way I could get my hands on the sheet music to the piano parts. I'd love to play it myself.

Now I want to get all the recordings of Thibaudet that I can.

Inverness_Man · Post by **Inverness_Man** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 2:37 am

Since we're on the subject of film soundtracks, I'm a huge fan of film soundtracks. There is one special one that no one should miss. It is Miklós Rózsa's "Ben-Hur" on Rhino R272197 / 2 CDs. This is just fabulous music!

I'd also recommend Goldsmith's "Basic Instinct" extended version & Herrmann's "Psycho" conducted by Bernard himself with the National Philharmonic Orchestra. Those are two soundtracks besides "Ben-Hur" that I find myself listening to countless times. I never tire of them.

Auntie Lynn · Post by **Auntie Lynn** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 2:44 am

For those of you who wanna do-it-yourself (oh, horrors!!), Hutchins and Rea has the sheet music for all the Jane Austen productions...

MaestroDJS · Post by **MaestroDJS** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:08 pm

Inverness_Man wrote:Since we're on the subject of film soundtracks, I'm a huge fan of film soundtracks.

I enjoy soundtracks but not generally enough to buy the soundtrack albums. Usually I find that a single film score cannot sustain the length of an entire CD, unless of course it's something like Alexander Nevsky by Serge Prokofiev. Unfortunately it's generally not commercially feasible for a composer to wait until 3 or 4 of his films come out so he can arrange shorter suites for a CD collection. I heartily endorse the following CDs because Bernard Herrmann was one of the finest composers for films. He prepared many suites from his film scores, which wisely contain only the best music in concert contexts.

Bernard Herrmann (1911-1975), United States:

Great Film Classics: Citizen Kane; Jane Eyre; The Devil and Daniel Webster; The Snows of Kilimanjaro; Mysterious Island*; Jason and the Argonauts*. London Philharmonic Orchestra, *National Philharmonic Orchestra / Bernard Herrmann. London 448 948-2 (United Kingdom).

Great Film Music: Journey to the Center of the Earth; The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad; The Day the Earth Stood Still; Fahrenheit 451; Gulliver's Travels. National Philharmonic Orchestra / Bernard Herrmann. London 443 899-2 (United Kingdom).

The Great Hitchcock Movie Thrillers: Psycho, A Narrative for Orchestra; Marnie; North by Northwest; Vertigo; A Portrait of "Hitch" (from The Trouble with Harry). London Philharmonic Orchestra / Bernard Herrmann. London 443 895-2 (United Kingdom).

Taxi Driver. Original Soundtrack Recording Masters conducted by Bernard Herrmann. (Recorded December 22 and 23, 1975). Arista 07822-19005-2 (United States).

Welles Raises Kane; The Devil and Daniel Webster; Obsession*. London Philharmonic Orchestra, *National Philharmonic Orchestra / Bernard Herrmann. Unicorn-Kanchana UKCD 2065 (United Kingdom).

His score for Taxi Driver is eerie not only due to the music itself, but also because Herrmann died in his sleep mere hours after his final recording session.

Dave

David Stybr, Engineer and Composer: It's Left Brain vs. Right Brain: best 2 falls out of 3
http://members.SibeliusMusic.com/Stybr
Tango: Summer Night in Montevideo for Violin and Piano (3:20)
http://www.SibeliusMusic.com/cgi-bin/sh ... reid=78610

Personal Assistant and Der Webmeister to author Denise Swanson
http://www.DeniseSwanson.com
Murder of a Smart Cookie
Penguin Putnam ~ Signet, New York, NY

Post by **Lance** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 5:48 pm

[Snipped] Bernard Herrmann (1911-1975), United States: Great Film Music: Journey to the Center of the Earth; The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad; The Day the Earth Stood Still; Fahrenheit 451; Gulliver's Travels. National Philharmonic Orchestra / Bernard Herrmann. London 443 899-2 (United Kingdom).

Among the most fascinating music I've heard of Herrmann was Gulliver's Travels. I had seen the movie and was quite taken with the film score. The only CD I could find with any excerpts was on London 443.889, as mentioned above. Does anyone know if the total score for Gulliver's Travels appeared on any other LP or CD? The music still haunts me and I'd really like to have as much of it as possible.

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 7:01 pm

The music was impressive, but not enough to save the show. There was waaaaaaaaaaaay too much of the scatty mother and empty headed sisters, rather akin to Cinderella without the comedy. There was no progress in the story until the last 15 minutes. That means the show had a beginning that lasted 1:45 and an ending that lasted 15 minutes. Reinforces my original resolve never to see Pride & Prejudice.

Niki · Post by **Niki** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 7:48 pm

Corlyss, I didn't see the movie but I can tell you the BBC series for TV - this is 6 hours - was superb. I love JAne Austin and Pride and Prejudice got the best transfer to TV screen.

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 8:32 pm

Niki wrote:Corlyss, I didn't see the movie but I can tell you the BBC series for TV - this is 6 hours - was superb. I love JAne Austin and Pride and Prejudice got the best transfer to TV screen.

I'm delighted you enjoyed them. I learned a long time ago that she pleases many for reason that are completely inexplicable to me. De gustibus, Nikki, but thank you for the recommendation.

ch1525 · Post by **ch1525** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:14 am

Well, the score was nominated for an Oscar, but sadly it did not win.

The score for Brokeback Mountain by Gustavo Santaolalla was the winner. I didn't see anyone here talking about that score!!! Clearly the members of this forum have a better idea of what is good music than the Academy does!!!!

Post by **Lance** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:52 am

ch1525 wrote:Well, the score was nominated for an Oscar, but sadly it did not win.

The score for Brokeback Mountain by Gustavo Santaolalla was the winner. I didn't see anyone here talking about that score!!! Clearly the members of this forum have a better idea of what is good music than the Academy does!!!!

You said a mouthful! Too many times good things go down the drain and the junk rises to the top. Unbelievable!

ch1525 · Post by **ch1525** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 11:38 am

Halleluia!!!! A piano solo book with sheet music from the score has been released. I've been able to find a couple pages to preview and play through and it sounds fantastic!! I'd say it is about late-Intermediate skill level. A lot of fast arpeggios and triplets.

Here is a link to the sheet music:

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/a/item.ht ... em=7466861

GK · Post by GK » Wed Apr 26, 2006 3:18 pm

The recent "Pride and Prejudice" movie was OK but not as good as the BBC version shown here on A & E. However, the music was superb. The trouble with sound tracks of this kind is that in addition to the good stretches you're liable to get truncated material. I wonder if the disc includes includes a tract of the leading lady's mediocre playing?

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Fri May 19, 2006 9:52 am

Lance,

Thanks for recommending this disc. I just bought and listened to it. It's great!

I was surprised to read that the "Editorial Review" at Amazon did not think much of this CD:

link
But of course everyone is entitled to his/her opinion.

mourningstar · Post by **mourningstar** » Fri May 19, 2006 11:44 am

The soundtrack is absolutley Swell. my 2 favourite picks are

A Postcard to henry Purcell and Mrs. Darcy

The latest remake of Pride&Prejudice couldn't been more Hollywood. I loved the BBC one. I have that one home on DVD. thats more Jane Austen. "The Keira Knightley" one is just a story very very very much alike Jane austen's

Post by **Lance** » Fri May 19, 2006 8:20 pm

Hooray - we have a copy of the music. I love that piano melody so much that I am going to play it myself, and I haven't touched the piano in eons. The music doesn't appear to be difficult at all. I certainly will not sound like Mr. Thibaudet, who truly gets a lush tone.

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